Burnes Returns to Mound as Brewers Push for Playoff Spot
Corbin Burnes threw three scoreless innings in his return from Tommy John surgery, while Freddy Peralta continued his strong stretch with the Rays, keeping former Brewers in the mix for the postseason.
The white pitching rubber gleamed under the stadium lights as Corbin Burnes settled into his stance, the dirt mound settling beneath his cleats. It was a moment frozen in time, a reunion with the game he had left behind for months. On Sept. 8, the 2021 Cy Young winner made his first big-league appearance since June 1, stepping onto the hill for the Arizona Diamondbacks after a long recovery from Tommy John surgery. The air was thick with anticipation, the kind that hangs heavy in the final stretch of a season when every pitch carries the weight of legacy.
Burnes delivered three innings of precision, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out two, without surrendering a single run. The Diamondbacks took the game into extra innings, eventually defeating the Kansas City Royals 5-3. It was a gritty finish, with both teams down to their final out in the ninth before a game-tying home run by John Rave forced the extra frame. Arizona capitalized on the chaos, pulling off the road victory in a display of resilience that echoed the intensity of the broader playoff race.
Milwaukee Monitors the Wild Card Race
In Milwaukee, the Diamondbacks’ performance was not just a nostalgic nod to a former star but a tactical data point in a high-stakes race. The Brewers are closing in on a playoff spot, needing only to finish with a better record than either Arizona or San Diego to secure the final National League wild-card position. As reported by Yahoo Sports, the magic number is essentially three, leaving a window open for the Brewers to clinch baseball’s first playoff spot on Friday, Sept. 11. The tension is palpable, every game a potential turning point in a battle for postseason glory.
Burnes’ journey to this moment has been marked by significant transitions. Traded before the 2024 season for Joey Ortiz and DL Hall, he spent a year with the Baltimore Orioles before signing a six-year, $210 million deal with Arizona. Last season, he posted a 2.66 ERA in 11 starts before the elbow injury derailed his momentum. His return is a testament to the long, grueling path of recovery, a journey that has now brought him back to the mound with the Diamondbacks, ready to contribute to their final push.
Peralta Finds Rhythm in Tampa Bay
Across the league, another former Brewer is finding his stride. Freddy Peralta, who struggled with the New York Mets, was dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays at the trade deadline. He has since transformed his season, recording three consecutive quality starts. On Sept. 8, he allowed one earned run on five hits in six innings, helping the Rays defeat the Atlanta Braves. His resurgence is a boon for the Brewers, who are competing with the Braves for a top-two seed in the NL playoffs and the lucrative first-round bye.
Peralta’s recent performances have been starkly different from his earlier season struggles with New York, where he posted a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts. For the Rays, his numbers remain uneven at a 4.35 ERA in seven starts, but he has allowed just two runs in his last 18 innings. His consistency is a key factor for Tampa Bay, who hold the American League’s best record. The possibility of a World Series matchup between the Brewers and the Rays looms large, as both teams are positioned as the No. 1 seed in their respective leagues if the season ended today.
Struggles and Injuries Among Former Brewers
Not all former Brewers have found success in their new environments. Outfielder Isaac Collins, a revelation for Milwaukee in 2025, has been hitless in his last 28 plate appearances with the Kansas City Royals. His OPS has dropped to .659, with six home runs and six steals on the season. The trade that sent him to Kansas City also included reliever Nick Mears, who has not pitched since May and is undergoing season-ending surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, the same injury afflicting Brewers starter Quinn Priester.
Third baseman Caleb Durbin, now with the Boston Red Sox, is also experiencing a slump, posting a .592 OPS since Aug. 14. However, his overall season remains solid with a league-average OPS-plus of 100, 12 home runs, and 17 steals. The Red Sox are in a prime position, and Durbin’s contributions, despite the recent lull, remain part of a strong offensive core. As the season winds down, the fates of these former Brewers continue to intertwine with the playoff race, each performance adding another layer to the narrative of a season defined by resilience and redemption.
